B.A. Van Sise is a frequent contributor to the Village Voice, New York Daily News, as well as a large number of travel publications, his work having appeared in more than 300 separate publications. An Eddie Addams graduate and NPPA award-winner, he is also founder of the Lilypad Agency, a lifestyle photojournalism collective.

I’m generally dubious about any product sold in an aerosol can, remembering it only as the chosen delivery method for deodorant and chemical cheese some twenty years ago. As an artist who specializes in the unusual—I’ve had to set up fog machines in the woods a whole lot lately, because I suppose one cannot make something nice unless it calls Hamlet to mind—I was more than interested in trying this out.

I tested it on three separate shoots—once for a long term personal project, once for a wedding, and once for a magazine editorial. The short version of the review is: yes, it works. The longer analysis: yes, it works, but it’s a freelancer.

The concept of the product is simple: a mixture of a small amount of soluble butane, dust, and a couple other chemicals delivered through an aerosol tip, it’s basically an entire can of that last cough of hairspray your mother tried to get out of the tube before sending you on your way to get your picture taken in third grade. In that, it’s an entirely functional; it provides a large stream of dusty air that will, in fact, make everything in the room look like a cloud, relaxing into a general misty vibe about five minutes later. In a closed room with window light (see photographs one and two) it creates, at least briefly, an effect nothing short of glorious.

Unfortunately, as with so many disappointments in life, size really *does* matter, and atmosphere aerosol certainly has a sweet spot. In a twenty square foot room it fills the room in a matter of thirty seconds (note: you get about 90 seconds total worth of spray out of a can) and the effect will last long enough to execute most concepts. Any larger space, though, will reveal its core limitation: being aerosol, it’s designed to disperse in air. In the second photo, taken in a massive room in a massive theater, the lovebirds look like they’ve fallen into each other’s arms in Sleepy Hollow itself–but no more than twenty seconds later, the effect was gone. Without an assistant, steady hands, and a keen eye for manual focus, in a large space any well-executed shot would be impractical, and perhaps impossible.

The other quibble isn’t a fault of the product or its design, but rather a note to mind its limitation: while it creates a beautiful, stunning effect when used over a room, it’s almost impossible to control in a precise fashion. So, for instance, as in photo 3, a photographer cannot easily project the spray over only a coffee cup; instead, the options are to accept a foggy room, don’t do it it all, or, as in my case, settle in with a big pot of tea and a whole lot of time for post-production.

Overall, the product remains an enthusiastic ‘buy,’ with the suggestion that photographers and videographers take note of its faults. To the product’s producers themselves, the strongest suggestion would be to reconsider the price point: at fifteen dollars for what’s essentially a can of air, it might be the biggest item markup since the Pet Rock.

]]>http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/11/atmosphere-aerosol-review-by-b-a-van-sise/feed/0Testing the Nikon 105mm 1.4 – by C.S. Muncyhttp://thephotobrigade.com/2016/11/testing-the-nikon-105mm-1-4-by-c-s-muncy/
http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/11/testing-the-nikon-105mm-1-4-by-c-s-muncy/#commentsMon, 14 Nov 2016 15:29:35 +0000http://thephotobrigade.com/?p=29785C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

A few months back Nikon announced the new 105mm 1.4 lens, and every Nikon shooter’s breathing immediately intensified. And not without good reason: the last lens in that range was the old 105mm f2 DC, a unique but oddball bit of glass that gave users a “defocus control.” I owned one for several years and while it was nice, it never really ended up being a significant part of my kit. While relatively sharp, the autofocus was very slow—too slow for news or work in high speed environments.

With election night fast approaching, Adorama was kind enough to loan me the 105mm 1.4. I needed a long lens small enough to bring into the campaign events that was also able to work in low light situations. This version fulfilled all of those requirements and more.

Let’s start with the physical aspects of the lens. While the glass itself is certainly sizable with an 82mm filter thread, the entire setup is surprisingly small. Without the hood, the lens is not much larger than a coffee cup or closed fist. The mount is solid metal and weather sealed, something I found particularly useful when shooting out in the rain. The barrel itself is plastic—sturdy enough for most uses, but I would have preferred something a bit stronger.

Now let’s talk performance. I was able to shoot during some of the evening protests and election night events handheld. The AF was responsive—perhaps not as fast as some AF-S lenses, but certainly fast enough for what I needed. The bokeh was butter-smooth when shot wide open, and the subject was always knife-blade sharp.

What didn’t I like? First, the plastic barrel concerns me. There’s a lot of heavy glass in there, and I tend to bang around when I’m working. I worry that it won’t be able to take as much abuse as my older AF-D lens.

Second, I’ve had shooters ask me why they’d need this lens when the 85mm 1.4 AF-S is still out there. The hard truth is, if you’ve already got that lens you may not need this one. It’s just a little bit more reach, but at twice the price. If Nikon had released a 135mm 1.4 at a similar cost, there wouldn’t even be a debate. Mitakon released a 135mm 1.4 last year, but the thing’s a beast. It’s large, manual focus and heavy as hell. The optics are decent, but it’s much better suited to cinematography rather than day to day news work.

Lastly, it would have been nice if Nikon had added VR. I’m sure there’s a good reason why it’s not there, but it would have been nice all the same.

In the end, I found the lens to be an optically perfect, if somewhat expensive bit of gear to add to my kit. There are times when you don’t want to roll with a huge collection of heavy lenses, and instead want to work with a trio of strong primes. For this, the 105mm 1.4 was ideal. I was able to work lean, light and fast on election night. For days when you can’t carry around heavier gear, or you need to work in a low light environment, I can’t recommend this lens enough.

]]>http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/11/testing-the-nikon-105mm-1-4-by-c-s-muncy/feed/0Polaroid LED Photo Studio Box Light Review – by C.S. Muncyhttp://thephotobrigade.com/2016/10/polaroid-led-photo-studio-box-light-review-by-c-s-muncy/
http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/10/polaroid-led-photo-studio-box-light-review-by-c-s-muncy/#commentsWed, 26 Oct 2016 18:34:12 +0000http://thephotobrigade.com/?p=29696C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

It’s difficult working these days solely as a still photographer. With papers downsizing and the career field awash with other shooters, you really have to stand out. Being able to sell yourself as a specialist with a variety of skills is a big step in this direction.

With that in mind, I’ve been testing out a fair amount of video gear. My main goal has been to put together a kit I can pack up in a moment’s notice and use out in the field. My audio setup has been pretty solid, but lately I’ve been playing with several different light sources.

Polaroid recently sent me their LED Photo Studio Box Light to test out. It’s a medium-sized light source with remote, adjustable color temperature and power output.

Let’s start with what I liked. It is indeed rugged, as it’s been traveling in my rucksack for the last few weeks without any damage. I brought it with my to NYCC and used it as an alternate lighting source for some of my portraits. The light output was bright enough to work in an already light-soaked environment, and the dimmer allowed me to add some subtlety to my portraits.

On the video side, it provided enough light to properly expose the entire subject for an interview without too much in the way of falloff, while the barn doors let me narrow my light source down as needed. For handheld work, the light also comes with a plastic grip you can mount to the bottom.

The light allows for the use of two batteries. I was able to power through a full day of shooting with few problems.

So what didn’t I like? Only two things come immediately to mind, but they do stand out.

First, let’s talk about the barn doors. Unfortunately there was a lot of give, so keeping them locked open and in place proved difficult, particularly when holding the light by hand. I would suggest future models have adjustable or reinforced barn doors.

Second, the remote control was unreliable. It worked, but it wasn’t something I’d want to depend on. I spent a fair amount of time walking back and forth between my subject and the light.

So in the end, what do I think? It’s a good, sturdy light with a comfortable output and great color control, but it could stand some adjustments to the barn door and remote. For the cost, it’s a good addition to any videographer’s go bag.

]]>http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/10/polaroid-led-photo-studio-box-light-review-by-c-s-muncy/feed/0Leica Sofort Instant Camera Review – by C.S. Muncyhttp://thephotobrigade.com/2016/09/leica-sofort-instant-camera-review-by-c-s-muncy/
http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/09/leica-sofort-instant-camera-review-by-c-s-muncy/#commentsMon, 26 Sep 2016 20:17:46 +0000http://thephotobrigade.com/?p=29556C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

A few days ago I was hanging out at my old stomping grounds, the B&H Used Department, talking with some friends. I was on the hunt for a fairly esoteric bit of gear, when one of the employees mentioned something that stuck with me throughout the day: their analog gear seems to be flying off the shelves faster than they can restock them. It’s an odd notion; by the time I left digital was really eating into film gear.

The drift between digital and analog changes every year, and film sales will never be what they once were, but it’s still steadily improving. Several companies have noticed this, with groups like Lomography taking advantage of the changing tastes.

It was a bit surprising though, when Leica announced their new Sofort camera. The Sofort is a new instant camera very similar to the Fuji Instax Mini 90. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time Leica has ventured into the realm of instant photography.

I had the chance to check the Sofort out this weekend during Photoville in Brooklyn. Leica was signing out gear, and gave me the opportunity to play around with it and fire off a few shots.

Operationally, it’s very similar to the Instax 90. It’s so similar, in fact, that some have suggested it’s merely a rebadged version of the same camera with a different casing. I’ve played with both, and I honestly prefer the Leica version for a number of reasons.

First, it feels more solid than the Instax. While the exterior is all plastic, there’s a certain Leica spartan quality to it. It’s easy to hold,
and the plastic doesn’t feel like it’s going to fall apart. The viewfinder is nice, big and bright, and from the photos it seems like it’s pretty accurate in terms of framing.

The lens itself is sharp, it won’t blow you out of the water. Considering the size of your image, this may not be a huge deal for you. I was able to overexpose my shot by selecting the “cloudy” option, but really it’s an almost entirely automatic camera. There’s not a ton of manual control.

Chuy Gutierrez is a New York based freelance cinematographer. He graduated in ’12 with a BA in TV/Film from The University of Texas Pan-American and specializes in short form documentary and narrative work. Chuy also provides technical direction in live web broadcasting for Adorama and CBS Radio event studios.

The first time that I had ever heard of Tenba bags I was a poor college student in south Texas. I recall stalking their website and looking at their gear bags. So, I’ve been using their Shootout 24L camera backpack for a few weeks now and here is my review:

My initial thoughts when I received the Shootout bag were positive. The bag had a sleek design that just seemed cool without being too flashy. The design was stealthy. The backpack felt sturdy and it basically just proved that it could take a beating. From the zippers to the tough bottom design that were built to be placed in rain, snow, and muck. This thing was not going let up.

Internals

The Shootout comes with a bunch of removable dividers to ensure a custom fit for all of your gear. This is a huge plus. Most of the bags that I’ve used in the past gave you some custom adjustments but the entire back could not be stripped out, so thanks Tenba! On the inside you also have two tough clear pockets for accessories such as batteries, chargers, cables, and I’ll even put some screw drivers and a multitool without worry of it piercing through.

Packing this much to a reasonably compact backpack is a huge deal. Especially if I’m running around NYC shooting and getting in and out of various cars, buses, trains, and even planes. Aside from taking off my monopod or tripod I’ve had no issues taking this on any domestic flight as a carry on.

Exterior

This bag was with me recently when I traveled to north California and Colorado. Rain, shine, dirt, snow this thing gave me no issues and I felt like I was prepared for just about anything outside of jumping in a lake. The Shootout has a tough exterior that can (in my opinion) handle some rain or snow with no issues. That being said if things get messy outside the Shootout 24L has a built in rain cover that easily goes over the pack and straps right on and we keep moving. The tripod holder is a major plus for me on this pack. From a video monopod to a mid sized tripod with a video head, this thing handled it with no issues. We are not talking about travel pods here. The hold is sturdy and safe. I’ve strapped this thing on the pack and hopped on a bike without any worry that it would fly off my back. One minor setback is the strap itself. If it’s not being used, I don’t have a dedicated spot for it. However, this only becomes an issue when I pack this guy to the brim.

The fit

I am by no means a little guy. I have wide shoulders, but this bag has more adjustments than I know what to do with. It doesn’t matter if I’m walking around the city, hiking up stairs, standing in the subway or riding my Vespa, this pack is literally five seconds away from being the most comfortable bag that I have ever owned, with a few adjustments and everything is accessible from one position. With that being said, I put a lot of weight on my shoulders so the back padding and added waist strap give me plenty of support.

All in all I’m quite fond of the Shootout. Tenba takes a no compromises approach to their products and it shows. When you’re carrying 5k to 15k worth of equipment with you, that’s something you take note of. This is a super thought out and efficient product line with few if any drawbacks.

Pros
-Thought out design
-Tough build
-Spacious
-Comfortable

Cons
-No dedicated tripod strap compartment (if I’m being picky)

]]>http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/07/tenba-shootout-24l-backpack-review-by-chuy-gutierrez/feed/03Pod Orbit 3 Section Aluminum Tripod Review – by C.S. Muncyhttp://thephotobrigade.com/2016/05/3pod-orbit-3-section-aluminum-tripod-review-by-c-s-muncy/
http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/05/3pod-orbit-3-section-aluminum-tripod-review-by-c-s-muncy/#commentsThu, 12 May 2016 15:21:26 +0000http://thephotobrigade.com/?p=28893C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

Let’s get one thing out of the way: not everyone’s going to need a tripod for every shoot. The average photographer probably isn’t going to spend much time thinking about using one as rapidly improving camera technology makes it easier to shoot hand-held in increasingly lower light.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of why every photographer should have at least one tripod. Or if not every photographer, then perhaps those precious few trying to earn the coveted title of “professional.”

A tripod can mean the difference between an acceptable image and an outstanding image. Having one allows you to slow your shutter speed way the hell down without having to worry about the tremble of your hand, or finding a convenient surface to try and rest your camera against. It allows you to shoot time lapses and long exposures. It can mean the difference between a professional looking video piece and something that might be more appropriate for YouTube.

There’s also a difference between a high quality tripod and a low quality one. Cheap, low end models may not support the weight of your equipment, or may end up breaking during travel. Heavier models may weigh you down—not a big deal when you’re traveling by car or in the city, but this can be a deal breaker if you’re trudging out in the field with everything you need to survive the next few weeks loaded into your backpack.

The first thing to consider is that, for a budget tripod, it does the job. It’s not what you would call flashy, nor is it designed to bear the weight of a hundred pound kit.

But it works. The legs move easily, remain solidly in place once locked down and are capable of spreading out to 85, 60, and 35 degree angles. The feet can be adjusted to use either rubber stoppers or metal spikes, depending upon your shooting environment The center post uses the “Orbit Overhead Shot System,” which is a fancy way of saying it can be adjusted 90 degrees, allowing for overhead shooting (such as macro and product photography.) The shaft also rotates independently, which can be handy when shooting panoramic shots.

The flip locks are one area where I found the 3Pod lacking. Made from relatively flimsy plastic, I spent some time worrying that they might break if used repeatedly or in a challenging environment. That said, during my tests they did hold up without any noticeable issues.

In the end, I found the 3Pod to be a decent entry level tripod with some pro-end features. The ability to change the center shaft from vertical to horizontal felt like something you’d find in a more expensive model, and the aluminum build (while heavier than a carbon fiber model) still felt relatively light weight. I don’t believe it’s a tripod that will take any extended amount of abuse, but it’s unlikely to break on you for no reason.

PROS
– affordable at $139.95
– nice, semi-professional features such as the “Orbit Overhead Shot System”
– light enough for short-term field work

CONS
– flip-locks felt somewhat flimsy

]]>http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/05/3pod-orbit-3-section-aluminum-tripod-review-by-c-s-muncy/feed/0Polaroid Panorama Eyeball Head Review – by C.S. Muncyhttp://thephotobrigade.com/2016/05/polaroid-panorama-eyeball-head-review-by-c-s-muncy/
http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/05/polaroid-panorama-eyeball-head-review-by-c-s-muncy/#commentsFri, 06 May 2016 14:09:14 +0000http://thephotobrigade.com/?p=28864C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

So I’m sitting in line at work with my bag of gear, waiting to go through security when it hits me: the Polaroid Panorama Eyeball I’ve been sent for review looks an awful lot like a hand grenade. With the phone-holding attachment and round, black painted body, it’s pretty much a dead ringer—or at the very least similar enough that it might cause me some trouble.

A nervous bead of sweat forms on my forehead as I try thinking of ways to say “it’s not a grenade” without raising my voice or using the word grenade.

All dramatics to the side, the Polaroid Panorama Eyeball is a rotating mount for GoPro’s and cell phones, designed for both real-time use and time lapse photography. I’ve spent the last few weeks putting it through its paces.

One thing I discovered very early on was that it was a very easy to use device. The instructions are clear and concise, and the learning curve is particularly shallow. Controlled by an IR remote, you can adjust the speed of the device with a few simple clicks.

The build itself is reasonably sturdy, something I always appreciate. The plastic seems unlikely to break in your bag or during use. The extending legs, I’ll admit, are somewhat thin, but I believe you’d have to work pretty hard to break them. One thing I found particularly useful was the metal thread mounts on the top and bottom.

What didn’t I like? Well, while it’s very easy to use, it will only function with the remote. The head itself does not have any controls. If you lose or forget the remote (as I did on more than one occasion) then you’re pretty much out of luck.

The battery life also could have used some improvement. The on/off light isn’t that bright, so it’s easy to toss in your bag without remembering to turn it off, leading to drained batteries. Again, this happened to me several times in the field.

The phone carrier is a fork-like device made out of sturdy metal. It’s a great design, but it lacks the ability to change your shooting angle. You can only really shoot with lens at a horizontal angle. It’d be a great improvement to be able to tilt the phone up or down.

Here’s my biggest beef. While the instructions say that the Eyeball can support a DSLR, I found that simply wasn’t the case. The legs are too short and stubby, and the weight of my DSLRs meant that the Eyeball couldn’t stay upright during use. You can mount this on a tripod, but it still didn’t really work that well. Lighter DSLRs and mirrorless cameras like the Nikon consumer level cameras or Sony A7 series would probably have much better luck.

Thankfully, the similarity to a grenade never became an issue, but it’s something future users may want to consider. One suggestion I have for Polaroid is that future models come in bright, non-threatening colors.

So ultimately, what do I think? It’s a great, handy tool if you’re working with light-weight camera systems. It’s really best when used with a phone or GoPro, in my opinion. Just always remember to check your charge and keep the remote with you, and you’ll be good to go.

]]>http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/05/polaroid-panorama-eyeball-head-review-by-c-s-muncy/feed/0Polaroid BrightSaber Light Review – by C.S. Muncyhttp://thephotobrigade.com/2016/04/polaroid-brightsaber-light-review-by-c-s-muncy/
http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/04/polaroid-brightsaber-light-review-by-c-s-muncy/#commentsTue, 26 Apr 2016 13:00:44 +0000http://thephotobrigade.com/?p=28853C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

When Polaroid announced last year that they would be putting out the BrightSaber handheld LED wand, a lot of writers and shooters spilled a lot of ink comparing it (and perhaps not favorably) to the Westcott Ice Light. They both occupy an identical spot in the photographer’s tool chest, as an adjustable, handheld LED light source capable of providing a unique look—especially when compared to other flashes, strobes or LED kits.

And in some ways those writers, bloggers and photographers aren’t wrong. They are indeed very similar.

I recently had the chance to test the BrightSaber out while shooting the Holi Festival of Colors in Brooklyn. At the same time, I was able to compare it against the Ice Light. The end results were actually pretty surprising.

So let’s talk about the BrightSaber for a moment. Its nearly three hundred 5600k LED’s put out a surprising amount of light, which can be adjusted with a tube-like Tungsten filter that fits over and around them.

The grip is a little on the thick side, but not at all difficult to handle. The battery fits easily inside, and is held in place by a solid metal screw-on cap. This cap also features a tripod thread mount, allowing you to place this on a light stand or monopod.

At Holi, I found the light to be solidly built and capable of taking a reasonable beating. The light provided a unique look (always important when dealing with editors) with a dependable, consistent output. There was no noticeable color shifts or flickering.

So what didn’t I like? I found the battery life to be wanting—at full power, it lasted perhaps an hour at full charge. The Westcott Ice Light lasted (again, at full power) another 45 minutes. I also didn’t care for the on/off and power adjustment buttons. I would rather work with mechanical switches and buttons rather than the soft-touch buttons used with the BrightSaber. This, of course, is more of a personal preference than an actual problem with the device.

So how does the BrightSaber fare when compared to the Ice Light? Aside from the battery life, I had no serious complaints. It’s certainly cost effective, at $149 it’s significantly less expensive than the Ice Light. All in all I found it to be a solid addition to my lighting kit.

PROS
– Solid build
– great light output
– affordable

CONS
– limited battery life at full power
– mechanical buttons would be nice

]]>http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/04/polaroid-brightsaber-light-review-by-c-s-muncy/feed/0From Analog to Digital – Scanning Your Negatives – by C.S. Muncyhttp://thephotobrigade.com/2016/02/from-analog-to-digital-scanning-your-negatives-by-c-s-muncy/
http://thephotobrigade.com/2016/02/from-analog-to-digital-scanning-your-negatives-by-c-s-muncy/#commentsFri, 26 Feb 2016 18:01:25 +0000http://thephotobrigade.com/?p=28578C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

There’s a strong emotional element to going through your old negatives. I can only describe it as something similar to (I can only assume) a rough acid flashback. My frames aren’t cataloged in the best order, so the pages vary from roll to roll. One page can be moments of triumph, of happiness or serenity. Some pages are bodies on a table. Some are great memories. Some are people going through the worst hours of their lives.

Looking through all of these made me realize that I badly need to properly digitize and catalog my shots. Scanning your negatives, especially when you have thousands of individual frames, is no small thing. Finding the right equipment and workflow can mean the difference between poorly scanned pictures and images worthy of print.

For the longest time, I used to be a teacher’s assistant at the International Center of Photography in Midtown Manhattan (this is a great program, by the way. I strongly encourage new shooters to consider working as a TA there.) This gave me access to high end, dedicated negative scanners. Unfortunately, I simply can’t dedicate the time to working there anymore, and need something I can use at home.

When I was at ICP, I used the Nikon ED 9000 and Imacon scanners. Sadly, the Imacon is far outside my personal price range, and Nikon no longer produces or supports the ED 9000 (which is a pity, because I genuinely think it was one of the best negative scanners out there.)

Recently, Plustek sent me two of their own dedicated negative scanners for testing, the Plustek Opticfilm 120 and the Plustek Opticfilm 135.

Let’s start with the Plustek Opticfilm 120. Operationally, this scanner works in a very similar manner as the Nikon ED 9000. Negatives are sandwiched inside a dedicated negative holder (which occupies almost all sizes and formats) and fed into the scanner.

This arrangement is important, at least to me. I shoot in oddball formats; my most common being panoramic 35mm shots taken on my Hasselblad XPan. The Opticfilm 120 has trays that can support this type of frame, which is a huge bonus. Additionally, it uses Silverfast software, allowing for a wide variety of scanning options. If you’re looking for something fast and simple, or for a hugely detailed scan, this software supports it.

Setting up the scanner took some time. There’s a bit of a learning curve when you first get started—indeed, I had to talk with customer support in order to get it going. That said, once you get through this scanning itself becomes fairly simple.

One problem I had using this scanner was when I attempted to scan full-frame shots (as in, getting the edges of the black film border.) Previous to this, I used the Nikon ED 9000’s glass plate medium format film holder. With this, I could sandwich a 35mm negative between the plates of glass and scan the entirety of the film. Unfortunately, the Opticfilm 120 doesn’t feature this type of film carrier. I was able to accomplish a full frame scan by pinching the negative inside one of the 120 holders, but I’ll admit this makes me mildly uncomfortable. It places a lot of pressure on the negative itself and could conceivably scratch the film surface. Additionally, if the negative comes loose it could get stuck inside the scanner. I love this model, but a glass plate film holder would be a major improvement.

PROS
– High quality scans
– Supports nearly every 35mm and 120/220 film format and style
– Affordable in comparison to other dedicated film scanners

CONS
– Steep learning curve, at least initially
– Difficult to scan full frame images
– Could use a glass plate film carrier

TL;DR – An outstanding film scanner that will support the vast majority of film formats and styles at a relatively affordable price. I highly recommend this for professional and semi-professional shooters looking to digitize their images.

For those on a budget, Plustek recently released the OpticFilm 135. It’s much lighter and smaller, and uses the same scanning method as the larger 120 (film is loaded into a plastic tray and fed into a motorized slot.)

One of the things I love about the 135 is how simple to use it is. The software it comes with is simple to use and doesn’t have a steep learning curve. Now, the downside to this inherent simplicity is that there’s no option for using other scanning software, like Silverfast. Additionally, there’s no option for scanning full frame, as the negative holder covers all of the outside edges of your shot.

Still, one of the great things about the 135 is how small and portable it is. I recently brought it with my to Washington D.C., and plan on using my down time to scan up all my old negatives. The 120 may provide more professional options, but it’s still a beast to carry on the train.

Plustek has said that the 135 is capable of scanning panoramic negatives, though unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to test that out as it requires a separate tray than the ones that come with it.

All things considered, I believe the PlusTek 135 is a great investment for 35mm shooters. While there are some minor limitations in terms of scanning size and software, it’s an affordable, easy to use, portable film scanner with a ton to offer.

PROS
– High quality scans
– Supports 35mm film, both in traditional and panoramic formats
– Very affordable in comparison to other dedicated film scanners
– Light and portable
– Very simple software, no difficult learning curve

CONS
– Does not scan full frame
– Panoramic scans require a different negative carrier

TL;DR – A great 35mm film scanner that’s light, portable, and won’t break the bank. Great for students, shooters on a budget, or those who shoot mainly 35mm film.

Nic Coury is a photojournalist based in Monterey, Calif. He has had work published in Sports Illustrated, Cycle World and Bicycling magazines, and has shot commercial jobs for Specialized Bicycles, Ferrari and Bugatti. He also covers crime for a local newspaper. In his free time, he drinks too many espressos and wins mustache competitions.

Easily one of the best sub-$200 camera purchases I’ve ever made.

I love donuts and not just the breakfast food.

Specifically I love the donuts made with the 1970s Nikon 500mm f/8 mirror lens I bought. After wanting an inexpensive alternative to longer glass, I found one of the Nikkor lenses on eBay for around $170 shipped to me and it has been one of the funnest photo purchases I have ever made.

If you Google the mirror lens, there is a definite love/hate relationship amongst photographers. Some see the lens as a cheap gimmick similar to fisheyes, but others see it as a legitimate alternative to longer, much more expensive lenses. I’m in the latter group.

A California Brown Pelican sits on the wharf in Monterey, Calif.

One of the things I have always liked about Nikon digital cameras is their backwards compatibility with how older, manual focus lenses dating back to the 1960s can be mounted and metered. Some of the older glass is stupidly sharp and the colors are great. I have a handful of those lenses too, like an older 55mm f/1.2.

I happened to get a very sharp version of the 500mm mirror and I use it for all kinds of photos, although it took some squinting and precise practice to get used to manually focusing in faster action situations, but if photographers for decades could shoot surfing and other sports manually focused, I can too.

A surfer is backlit from mid-day sun at Moss Landing State Beach near Monterey, Calif.

Actor Bill Murray chips out of the sand on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links during the 2016 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

It’s a super fun lens to play around and compose photos with, but like any lens, it can be overused with the donut effect. Fortunately, it can also be used as a regular telephoto, albeit slow at f/8. It fits in my camera bag very small as well, using about the same space as a 24-70 f/2.8, but a smidge longer.

Even in bad light, like last year’s Monterey Jazz Festival, I was able to produce usable images, but had to kick up my ISO and use a monopod. As the saying goes: if it’s stupid, but it works, it ain’t stupid.